The present invention relates to a bipod mounting device adapted for attachment to a firearm. More particularly, the preferred embodiment of the invention relates to such a bipod mounting device having a muzzle brake apparatus incorporated therein.
Modern firearms, such as rifles in particular, may be more accurately and conveniently fired by the user if the firearm is equipped with a bipod device for supporting the barrel. One example of a lightweight, detachable bipod device with foldable legs is described in my previous patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,422, issued on June 27, 1967, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Said previous patent discloses a bipod device which is removably attached to the forearm portion of the stock of a firearm. Such attachment is preferably accomplished by means of a pair of link members having fingers or pins protruding therefrom which are received within an aperture extending laterally in a stud or other fastener member secured to the stock of the firearm. The stock of many firearms are provided with such apertured studs which are normally supporting a loop-shaped swivel member adapted to receive one end of a sling. The bipod device is secured against the forearm of the firearm by a threaded abutment screw which is extended to urge the base of the bipod device securely against the forearm of the firearm. While such bipod device of my earlier patent is well adapted for convenient use with many firearms whose stocks are equipped with the above-described stud or fastener member, other firearms frequently require modifications to provide the necessary stud or equivalent member having a head with an aperture therethrough for receiving the pins of the link members of the bipod device.
In accordance with the present invention, an alternative attachment or mounting apparatus is provided for securing a bipod device, such as that described in my earlier patent, to a variety of firearms which may not include an apertured stud or other fastener member such as that described above. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the attachment or mounting apparatus also incorporates a muzzle brake device therein. Such a muzzle brake device is a desirable addition to the barrel of a firearm for purposes of reducing recoil, muzzle jump and muzzle blast. Other alternate embodiments, both with and without muzzle brakes, are disclosed for adapting such a bipod device to a wide variety of firearms.